as in relative
being such only when compared to something else
if you consider the multimillionaire's yearly income, we're living in comparative poverty
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Recent Examples of comparative
Scholars of comparative authoritarianism have long identified the selective application of harsh criminal penalties as a hallmark of illiberal governance.
—
Arie Perliger, The Conversation, 7 Apr. 2026
The bill proposes creating a comparative effectiveness review process for prescription drugs on the Medicaid formulary.
—James Hart, Hartford Courant, 30 Mar. 2026
What makes this noteworthy for the evidence-minded consumer is the comparative data.
—Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2026
The harder, more important question is what Iran has learned about its own comparative advantage.
—Bobby Ghosh, Time, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for comparative
Arie Perliger, The Conversation, 7 Apr. 2026
The bill proposes creating a comparative effectiveness review process for prescription drugs on the Medicaid formulary.
—James Hart, Hartford Courant, 30 Mar. 2026
What makes this noteworthy for the evidence-minded consumer is the comparative data.
—Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2026
The harder, more important question is what Iran has learned about its own comparative advantage.
—Bobby Ghosh, Time, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for comparative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for comparative
relative
Adjective
-
Zachary Schermele On the heels of a frightening shooting over the weekend, the royal address seemed to bring Washington together in a moment of relative unity at a time when it was needed.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
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New Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has endorsed the talks but his relative silence and non-visibility have created space for Iran’s various internal factions to disagree over the way forward.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Comparative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/comparative. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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